She has done it again!

Magic Bitter, Magic Sweet by Charlie Holmberg

Charlie Holmberg has done it again. She has written an amazing book. Like all the novels to come before this one, we get a story of immense depth. There is a reason for everything even if it isn't obvious at first glance. I had inklings throughout the novel that I knew the ending, but I was never really sure and kept turning the pages. The characters are realistically dynamic. You want to know what happens to them.

I was slightly hesitant at the start because the description and cover left me unclear on the direction. (This seems to be a hurdle I really need to overcome with Holmberg's books as they are proving to be quite unmerited.) The opening was all sweet and endearing, and then, you are smacked in the face with the bitter. It is not what I was expecting at all and had my attention held fast. There are some lovely easter eggs during the middle for fans of fairy tales. With the current fad for rewriting the classics of literature (much to my twitching eyebrows distaste), I am happy to see an author nod to the tales of yore without trying to overtake them. And then comes the ending you are expecting yet still surprised that it all happened. That is a good book.

Holmberg writes some of the most thought-provoking fiction I have ever read. When I close that final page, I end up reflecting on everything I have just read for some time. The stories give me entertainment and value. I love them. Plain and simple, they are amazing. They are not perfectly written and certainly have their faults that some people may not be able to get over. I say: read them again--with an eye to learn a lesson, not merely to escape into a good story.

Pre-order your copy today over at Charlie Holmberg's website. There is a giveaway over at Goodreads for a copy until June 28th.